Tiller for jet boat



Jan. 1, 1963 J. L. BUEHLER TILLER FOR JET BOAT Filed Aug. 8. 1960 2Sheets-Sheet 1- Fig. 5..

INVENTOR. JOHN L. BUEHLER BY WWW 9M 211M ATTORNEYS Jan. 1; 196-3 J. L.BUEHLER 3,071,102

TILLER FOR JET BOAT Filed Aug. 8. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Y 23 W 2 26 ti I I5 28 a I Fig. O INVENTOR.

JOHN L. BUEHLER BY Xwmq M4 5% 211M ATT'0RNEYS v United States PatentOfiiice Fatented Jan. l, 19%3 3,ti7 L162 Tl'LLER FOR JET BOAT John L.Buehler, Indianapolis, Ind, assiguor to The Buchler Corporation, acorporation of Indiana Filed Aug. 3, 196%), Ser. No. 48,291 2 tfllaims.31. 115l2) The present invention relates to jet propelled watercraft andmore particularly to means for steering and controlling the directionand speed of such craft.

At least one form of water jet-propelled boat involves an enginearranged to drive a turbine which is located within a conduit throughthe boat. Water is drawn into the conduit through an intake opening atthe bottom of the boat, is pumped through the conduit by the turbine andis exhausted in a stream from the rear of the boat, the stream leavingthe boat above the water within which the boat is floating or issupported. The propulsion principle depends directly on a basic law ofphysics which provides that every action has an equal and oppositereaction. Thus, as water is ejected astern, the boat moves forward.

A most effective way of steering and otherwise controlling the directionof movement of such jet-propelled watercraft is the deflecting of thejet of water as it leaves the rear of the craft. Thus, the jet may bedeflected through various angles in a horizontal plane to turn or steerthe boat and may be reversed and directed beneath the boat to causerearward movement of the boat. Such jet boats are also usually providedwith variable speed engines arranged to drive turbines which pump waterto form the jet. Thus, a further means of controlling the jet boat andmore particularly the speed thereof involves means such as a throttlecontrol for changing the speed of the variable speed engine.

In the smaller type of boat such as is used by one or two fishermen andof a size comparable to a rowboat, it is desirable that these controlmeans be easily operated and require little attention so as to leave thefishermanoperator as free as possible to fish. Therefore, it is aprimary object of the present invention to provide improved jet boatcontrol means, said means being easily operated and requiring littleattention.

A further object of the present invention is to provide jet boat controlmeans capable of operation by one hand to allow free use of the otherhand for fishing.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a jet boat incorporating the control meansof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of the rearward portion of theboat taken along the longitudinal axis thereof and showing in detailcertain portions of the control of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the structure illustrated inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 in thedirection of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the most reaward portion of the structureillustrated in FIG. 2.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of theinvention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated inthe drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. Itwill nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of theinvention is thereby intended, such alterations and furthermodifications in the illustrated device, and such further applicationsof the principles of the invention as illustrated therein beingcontemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to whichthe invention relates.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated ajet boat ill having a hull ll, the hull being provided with an intakeopening 12 communicating between the bottom of the boat and a turbine13. The turbine 13 has a passage therethrough communicating between theintake opening 12. and a passage 15 through a tailpipe 16 secured to therear of the boat. The turbine 13 is driven by a conventional marineengine 14 through a shaft 14A and functions to pump water from theintake 12 to and out of the rear of the boat. The water is formed into ajet by the converging surface 17 of an annular member 18 fixed withinthe passage 15, the jet leaving the boat at a point above the waterline.

Fixed to the tailpipe 16 is a housing 2! one function of which is tocontain a depending gate or slide 21 which is movable within avertically extending opening 22 to various positions. There is providedmeans (described in detail below) for raising and lowering a shaft 23which is reciprocally received within a suitable bore in the upper endof the housing 26. The gate or slide 21 is swivel mounted to the shaft23 by a ball and socket connection 25. Thus, the gate 21, when: in theposition illustrated in FIG. 2, hangs freely within the housing 2 Itshould be noted that the upward end of the housing is sealed orcompletely closed off except for the bore receiving the shaft 23 andthat there are no openings to allow the passage of water from the upwardportion of the housing 20.

The housing 2%} is provided with a cylindrical bore 26 of the same sizeor slightly larger than the exit end of the opening through annularmember 13, said cylindrical bore 26 registering with the opening throughthe annu lar member 18. When the gate 21 is positioned as in FIG. 2above the opening 26, the turbine 13 may pump a stream of water throughthe annular member 18, through the vertically extending opening 22 andthe cylindrical opening 26 in the housing to be exhausted from the rearof the boat. The housing 20 also functions to provide a pivotal mountingfor a pair of deflector plates 27 which are used for deflecting thestream of water to steer the boat.

The plates 27 are each pivotal about a vertical axis provided bysuitable shafts extending through projections 28 extending from thehousing 2.3, the plates 27 being positioned on opposite sides of thestream of water. In order to turn the boat in one direction, one of theplates 27 is pivoted into the jet stream by means of a steering quadrant29 pivotally mounted on the housing 2t} by means of a shaft 29Apositioned directly between the pivotal mountings of the deflectorplates, the quadrant 2% having a pair of depending elements 2%3 located.outside of the deflector plates and arranged to pivot one or the otherof the plates inwardly when the quadrant 2% is pivoted. The quadrant maybe pivoted through the shaft 29A by means of steering mechanismdescribed below.

A tiller, indicated generally by the numeral 35, is pivoted about ahorizontal axis upon a tiller support 36 which has 21 dependingcylindrical portion 3'? received within a cylindrical bearing as fixedto the rear or transom 41 of the jet boat. A cylindrical element 42 isreciprocably received and pivotal within a vertically extending aperturewithin the cylindrical portion 37 of the tiller support. The tillersupport is provided with an upwardly projecting yoke 44*, each arm ofwhich has pivoted thereon a link 53. Each of the links 53 has at itsopposite ends a pair of slots 45 and i5 which extend longitudinally ofthe link and receive pins 47 and 4h fixed to the cylindrical element 42and the tiller 35, re-

spectively. It can be appreciated that when the tiller 35 is raised fromthe solid line position of PEG. 2 to the dotted line position, thecylindrical element 52. will be moved downwardly and when the tiller ismoved oppositely, the cylindrical element will be moved upwardly. Thelowermost position of the tiller is the solid line position illustratedin FIG. 2 in which the tiller rests upon the tiller support 36.

Secured to the lower end of the cylindrical element 42 by means ofthreaded element St; and not Si is a downwardly projecting yoke 52, thetwo arms of which receive a pin 53 which passes through a slot 55 in alink 56. The link 56 is pivoted at one end :37 upon the transom 41 andis provided at its other end with a longitudinally extending slot aswhich receives a pin 6i mounted within the two arms of a yoke 62 securedto the upward end or" the shaft 23. It can be appreciated that the gateor slide 21 may be raised or lowered to various positions by raising orlowering the tiller 35. For example, when the tiller 35 is resting uponthe tiller support 36 in the solid line position illustrated in HS. 2,the slide 21 will be in the illustrated solid line position and when thetiller is raised to the dotted line position illustrated in H6. 2, theslide will also be in the dotted line position illus trated in FIG. 2.

The housing Ed has formed thereon a downwardly and forwardly curveddeflector 65. When the gate is moved downwardly to the dotted lineposition, it completely blocks the flow of the stream of water from theannular member 18 through the bore 26. Because of the fact that theupward portion of the housing 2% is completely sealed or closed off,this water pumped from the turbine must pass downwardly through anopening as in the lower end of the housing, this opening facing in adirection generally forwardly of the boat. The boat has a fiat element67 secured to the lower end of its transom 41 and flush with the bottom7r"; of the boat and the edge of the opening 55, the flat elementpreferably being at an angle of seven degrees to the horizontal.However, even an angle as great as that shown and possibly a greaterangle is operable. Because of the downwardly and forwardly curvingsurface 71 of the deflector '65, the water from the turbine movesdownwardly and is exhausted in a generally parallel direction to the hatelement 67 and passes beneath the boat causing the boat to moverearwardly according to the above mentioned basic law of physics.

it should be noted that the gate is movable to various intermediatepositions, one of which will cause the thrust from the turbine to bedivided in such a manner as to maintain the boat in a stationaryposition. When the gate is in such a position, a certain percentage ofthe water from the turbine passes through the lower portion of thecylindrical aperture 26. The remaining portion of the water from theturbine passes downwardly and is deflected by the member 5 to produce athrust acting to move the boat rearwardly and equalizing the forwardthrust produced by the water passing through the aperture 26. It can beappreciated that the gate 21 may be lowered from this intermediateposition to permit a slow rearward movement of the boat and it may beraised from this intermediate position to provide a slow forwardmovement of the boat.

Fixed to the lower end of the tiller support 36 by means of screws 75 isa radially extending lever 76 which functions as a retainer for tillersupport 36 and has fixed to its extending end a depending arm 77. Anadjustable link 8% is pivotally connected at its opposite ends to thedepending arm 77 and to a lever 81 fixed to the shaft 29A. it can beappreciated that the tiller 35 may be pivoted about a vertical axisextending through the cylindrical element 42 in order to move either oneor the other of the deflectors 27 into the jet stream for steering theboat. it should be noted that the yoke 52 is pivotally mounted upon thethreaded element so that as the cylindrical element 42 pivots with thetiller 35 and the tiller support l 36 when the tiller is used to steerthe boat, the yoke 52 will not pivot but instead will retain theposition illustrated in H6. 2 permitting operation of the tiller toraise and lower the gate 21.

Mounted upon the distal end of the tiller i a throttle control $55 whichmay comprise a knob arranged to permit pulling of the knob away from thetiller body or pushing of the knob toward the tiller body to vary thefuel supply to the conventional marine engine 14. Fine adjustment of thethrottle is provided by rotation of the knob 35. The throttle controlhas not been shown in detail inasmuch as it is a commercially availableVernier hand throttle type 346-906-18 manufactured by Arens Controls Co.of Chicago, Illinois. The throttle cable 86 of the control 35 extendsfrom the control through the tiller to a point adjacent the proximal endof the tiller from which point it extends to and is operativelyconnected to the engine 14.

From the above description, it can be appreciated that the presentinvention provides an improved jet boat control means which permits thecontrol of the speed, direc tion and steering of the jet boat by onehand. All that is necessary to turn the boat is t! ivot the tillerhorizontally and about the axis of the cylindrical element 42. All thatis necessary to speed up or slow down the boat is to push, pull orrotate the throttle control 85 on the end of the tiller. (One convenientmethod of operating the device involves the arm of the operator restingupon the tiller with the hand surrounding the throttle control 85.)Finally, all that is necessary to raise or lower the gate 21 forreversing or stopping the boat is the raising or lowering of the tiller35. All of the above controlling operations may be accomplishedsimultaneously or at different times by the use of one hand and armaccording to the desire of the operator.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in thedrawing and foregoing description, the same is to be considered asillustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood thatonly the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that allchanges and modifications that come within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims are also to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A control for a watercraft comprising means for moving water in a jetrearwardly of said craft, a blocking element mounted on said craft andselectively movable through a vertical path into said jet to deflect itforwardly of said craft, a deflector pivotally mounted on the craftabout a vertical axis, said deflector being positioned to deflect theunblocked jet at various angles in a horizontal plane, a tiller supportmounted centrally on said craft at the rearward portion thereof forpivoting about a vertical axis, said tiller support having an axiallyextending cylindrical aperture, a cylindrical element pivotally receivedand vertically reciprocal in said aperture, a tiller mounted on saidtiller support rearwardly of said cylindrical element for pivoting abouta horizontal axis and extending inwardly of said watercraft whereby saidtiller may be easily operated by an occupant of said craft, a linkpivoted centrally to said tiller support and pivoted at one end of thelink to said cylindrical element and at the other end of said link tosaid tiller whereby vertical movement of said tiller causes verticalmovement of said cylindrical element, linking means connecting saidcylindrical element and said blocking element whereby vertical movementof said cylindrical element causes vertical movement of said blockingelement, and linking means connecting said deflector and said tillersupport and so proportioned and arranged that pivoting of said tillersupport causes pivoting of said deflector.

2. A control as defined in claim 1 in which said water moving meansincludes a variable speed engine the speed of which may be varied tovary the amount of water in said jet, and a knob mounted at the distalend f said 5 tiller, operably connected to said engine and movable to2,396,309 vary the speed of said engine and the amount of water2,526,946 in said jet. 2,826,931 References Cited in the file of thispatent 5 30O7305 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,344,518 Rees June 22, 192014,631 2,381,217 Harman Aug. 7, 1945 902,229

6 Wodal Mar. 12, 1946 Hawkins Oct. 24, 1950 Michler Mar. 18, 1958Hamilton Nov. 7, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1905 Germany Oct.18, 1954

1. A CONTROL FOR A WATERCRAFT COMPRISING MEANS FOR MOVING WATER IN A JETREARWARDLY OF SAID CRAFT, A BLOCKING ELEMENT MOUNTED ON SAID CRAFT ANDSELECTIVELY MOVABLE THROUGH A VERTICAL PATH INTO SAID JET TO DEFLECT ITFORWARDLY OF SAID CRAFT, A DEFLECTOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE CRAFTABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SAID DEFLECTOR BEING POSITIONED TO DEFLECT THEUNBLOCKED JET AT VARIOUS ANGLES IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE, A TILLER SUPPORTMOUNTED CENTRALLY ON SAID CRAFT AT THE REARWARD PORTION THEREOF FORPIVOTING ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SAID TILLER SUPPORT HAVING AN AXIALLYEXTENDING CYLINDRICAL APERTURE, A CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT PIVOTALLY RECEIVEDAND VERTICALLY RECIPROCAL IN SAID APERTURE, A TILLER MOUNTED ON SAIDTILLER SUPPORT REARWARDLY OF SAID CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT FOR PIVOTING ABOUTA HORIZONTAL AXIS AND EXTENDING INWARDLY OF SAID WATERCRAFT WHEREBY SAIDTILLER MAY BE EASILY OPERATED BY AN OCCUPANT OF SAID CRAFT, A LINKPIVOTED CENTRALLY TO SAID TILLER SUPPORT AND PIVOTED AT ONE END OF THELINK TO SAID CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT AND AT THE OTHER END OF SAID LINK TOSAID TILLER WHEREBY VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID TILLER CAUSES VERTICALMOVEMENT OF SAID CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT, LINKING MEANS CONNECTING SAIDCYLINDRICAL ELEMENT AND SAID BLOCKING ELEMENT WHEREBY VER-